Harbored Secrets
by ticklemepeace
Summary: Inquisitor Levallan seems to have a sister from her old Dalish clan. Come to shake things up, Dahlia decides she wants to help take down Corypheus along with the rest of the gang. Turns out she knows Solas, but from a different time in her life. Keeping secrets of her own as well as others, she will have to decide what she will do about it all. This may require a lot of ale!
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

I couldn't believe my sister was the Inquisitor!

Well, I say sister but really we roamed the Free Marches together under Keeper Deshanna in clan Levallan for many years before I decided to branch out on my own, see the world, that sort of thing. I was finally coming back around when I heard the news of everything that had been happening because let's face it, word travels fast when you're traveling. It was breezy when I arrived at the entrance of Skyhold, my sweet Shira's fortress! It was beautiful. I couldn't stop gaping up at the magnificent stone castle with it's long gated bridge and towers for what seemed like miles. And wow, Mythal's tits, was there a lot of windows.

I shifted my staff to fit more comfortable and headed up to the guards that stood before the bridge. "Hello, Miss. What can I do you for?" One of them asked, smiling politely. You see, people can't help but be nice to me unless they just hate tiny elven women with adorable squeaky voices...which actually seemed to be the case a lot of the time, unfortunately, when you see a lot of places and different people. Who calls people knife-ear anymore? I mean really?

"I was hoping you could tell me where Inquisitor Levallan is? _Ma serannas_ (many thanks)?" I batted my eyelashes, hoping to push that I indeed was not one for suspicion. No ser, not me.

The guards looked to one another and nodded, going into professional mode. "I'm afraid we will have to do a search before we let you in, Miss. Strict policy at the moment due to everything that is going on with Corypheus and all that. Please understand it's nothing personal, just protocol."  
>Such nice boys. "Alright but be good to me boys, I'm delicate." I teased, raising my arms above my pointed little elven ears.<p>

They patted me down and checked my small pack, where they discovered odds and ends such as Elfroot, a few pieces of spider webbing, things like that. "Good for closing large wounds. You wouldn't believe the shit I get in to out there." I smirked, trying to make light conversation.

It worked. They chuckled and finished up their pat down.

I noticed a tall and broad shouldered elf walking around by the bridge, picking up plants. When he stood after grabbing some Embrium, he shielded his eyes from the sunlight to see me, a complete stranger, getting frisked. I smiled at him and winked, waving a hand slightly after being blinded by the sun that was reflecting off of his bald head. Cute though. Woof.

The elf shook his head and I thought I detected a small smile before he continued farther back into the castle. Finally the guards let me in and I took my time enjoying the scenery as well as the people. Everyone seemed to be doing something whether it was talking among themselves or just simply enjoying the day. I smiled at everyone that I passed, waving.

Such friendly people!

I climbed the front steps and walked in through the main doors. I noticed Baldy talking to a short red-headed dwarf in fancy clothing before he looked up and noticed I'd finally made my way inside. The dwarf looked over after realizing Baldy wasn't really listening to his story anymore. "Well hello there. What can we do for you?" The dwarf asked, politely smiling. I beamed and saluted them both. "The name's Dahlia. I'm looking for my sister? _Mi lethellan_ (my kin)? I think she's the important one who gets to sit in the fancy throne."

Dwarfy and Baldy looked at each other, confused, then back to me. "Sorry. Did you say sister?" Dwarfy asked. "She never spoke of any Dalish elves being close to her other then her Keeper, let alone a sister." Baldy explained politely, almost apologizing for their surprise. I chuckled, _un_surprised.

"She wouldn't. She's a little private when it comes to herself but that's my Shira! Can you lovely boys tell me where I can fi-" I stopped because a tall, thin figure was running towards me, her arms extended.

I was thrown into the biggest hug Shira could muster. "You're alive! Thank the elven gods!" She exclaimed, kissing each of my cheeks where my markings, my _vallaslin_, were blushing profusely.

Oh the love! My sister is such a peach and I had missed her! "Coarse' I'm alive, who do you think I am?" I winked, not letting her out of my arms. It was weird because of the height difference but we always made it work.

She smiled and finally noticed Baldy and Dwarfy staring at us with their mouths gaping open. "Oh right. This is my sister, Dahlia. I never mentioned her did I?" She seemed almost embarrassed. They shook their heads in unison.

This was going to be so much fun!

...

I felt a little overwhelmed as I sat next to Shira at the largest and longest table I'd ever seen. Every seat was filled and the ones filling it were looking at me as if I was the most fascinating creature_ they_ had ever seen.

Oh shucks. How they flatter me.

"I believe introductions are in order. Everyone, this is Dahlia. She and I lived together for many years in clan Levallan. We are so close that we call each other sister, or _mi lethallan._"

I waved at all the pairs of eyes.

The first to introduce himself was Baldy, who happened to be on my left. "My name is Solas. It's a pleasure to meet you, Dahlia." He was so polite! Yum. "Is that Solas as in pride? I really like that." He nodded and a small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Indeed, it is."

Next to him was the dwarf. "You can call me Varric. Oh, and this beauty is Bianca." He really just pointed to his weaponry that was on his back. "That is really lovely! I should give my staff a name as well." This made everyone laugh a little around the table.

To the left of Varric sat a giant Qunari with scars on every surface of his thick torso and face. He looked oddly familiar actually. "My name is the Iron Bull!" He held up a giant mug full of ale at me, sloshing it onto the table a little. "I've heard of you! The Qunari and his Chargers! Yeah, you helped my friend Jacks find her baby nug on your way to Fallow Mire for an assignment awhile back. She never shut up about you, mind her. That was blighted nice of you. She even tried drawing you to show me what you looked like but it definitely didn't do you justice." This made the Qunari laugh so hard that the table shook.

"I don't doubt that one bit." A handsome tevinter across the table chimed in, smirking our way. I later found out his name was Dorian."I like this one! She's snarky with a mouth on her, right?" The female rogue elf named Sera piped up. I winked at her and we finished the rest of the introductions.

Everyone was so nice and cheerful that you really wouldn't think that this was supposed to be the group meant to take down the Elder One. "I think I need to look more into this clan. So far both women that I have met from his are beyond gorgeous." This was meant to be a whisper to the peachy warrior named Cassandra, which Commander Cullen had failed at vecause everyone heard it. Including Shira who gave Cullen a raised eyebrow, which was returned with a wink on his part.

Interesting. Way to go sis.

I smiled and feigned modesty, waving my hand back and forth in a manner that said, 'Oh stop it you.' I really enjoyed this little bunch of hooligans. Everyone was so different yet they were all a family. I loved it. It reminded me of the friends I had made back in the Plains. We weren't a clan but we treated each other as a family. We called it, "_Uth Sulahn'nehn _(eternal happiness)_."_

Apparently I had said it out loud because Pridey Poo turned his face in my direction. He then looked around at all the people enjoying themselves at our table. "I agree. Welcome to our own little eternal happiness." This made me clap my hands a little in excitement, catching the eye of their spymaster, Leliana, who was now looking at me with suspicion. Can't say I blamed her really. What were they supposed to think when a stranger comes traipsing into their fortress claiming to be a relative of their Inquisitor all unannounced and dressed in rag tag clothing.

...

The afternoon continued on and everyone started going back to their duties in high spirits. After awhile the only ones left were me, Dorian, Iron Bull, and even Solas decided to stay though he didn't touch any of the drinks that were offered to him, unlike myself. Shira was tempted to stay and asked me at least twelve times if I would be alright. I reassured her and she went about her merry way doing whatever boring but important things Inquisitors do these days.

"You know. The entire time I've been at Skyhold not once, _once_, have I seen you in here Solas. If you don't come here, what do you do to unwind?" Asked Iron Bull, throwing his free arm that wasn't holding his mug around Solas' shoulders, causing him to flinch a little. He was so small compared to the Qunari though I guess isn't everyone? I mean other than dragons but I digress. "I mostly visit the Fade and talk with the spirits there. It helps me relax and always prepares me for the day for whatever happens."

My head had never snapped so fast in one direction in my entire life and trust me, I've been around a long time. There was no possible way he had just said what I think he said. Willingly going into the Fade? Of all my traveling, of all my knowledge that I have accumulated over time, there's only one person I knew of that would do something like that. A person I had met a long time ago, well before all of this Corypheus bullshit started. I couldn't imagine that it was the same person because the man I had met wasn't even a man at all but a giant black wolf with six eyes. It's kind of hard to forget that part. Although, the wolf did send thoughts to my brain as if it were speaking like a normal person, so he could've been a man.

I knew that wolf very well, he scared the living shit out of me when he came out from behind a tree, talking with his brain and what not. Wouldn't that freak anyone out? Especially when you've grown up on tales of the Dread Wolf? Knowing that very person was right in front of you can be a shock, especially to an elf. Of coarse I lived to tell the tale, though I haven't ever told anyone that I've met him let alone traveled with him for almost a year. In that period of time you get used to him not being all that scary, he had only been passing through when he found me. Or at least that what's he told me because who knows how true that is? If that was really the case, what sort of bad luck did _I _have running into the famous wolf god, Fen'harel?

He had been kind and helped me throughout our journey although I was always waiting for the other shoe to drop. Which of coarse it did.


	2. Chapter 2

**Note: I apologize for not putting out there that there is spoilers in this story I'm so sorry everyone! Please forgive me D: also I'm a returning fanfic writer from forever ago and would love any kind of feedback (please be gentle though) since I haven't been in the game in awhile and I would reeeeally appreciate it :) please and thank you!**

Chapter 2

The day Fen'harel and I parted was the day we started out fighting a hoard of giants, yes _giants_, and all of a sudden I was alone in the fight. He just vanished and I never saw him again after that. No more Wolfy.

It was the most horrifying experience of my life and I almost didn't come out of it alive. Luckily there was a Dalish clan nearby and saved my life, slaying the last giant although not before I got mauled in the stomach by its' talons. Nasty scar.

Later I did find out the reason Fen'harel left was because he was weakening and needed to 'sleep it off' for a billion years but hey, who am I to judge? I still have every right to be angry right? Right.

"Are you alright, _da mi'durgen_?" Solas asked, bringing me back to the present. Apparently I missed everything that was said between him and Bull because Bull had moved on to discussing dragons with Dorian. "Sorry. Slipped out for a bit I guess...wait, what did you just call me?" I asked, my eyes widening slightly but not too much that it would freak anyone out. My eyes are huge and elfy so widening them could be a hazard.

"_Da mi'durgen_? It means little diamond in elven." He replied, a confused expression on his face. "I know what it means!" I exclaimed, jumping out of my chair. Bull and Dorian looked up at me from their conversation, stopping dead.

"Sorry. Gotta go." Was all I said before rushing out of the tavern's front door. How could this be happening? Why does he keep popping up in random points of my life? Granted I've had a long life but whatever. Also, why is he even _awake_? What happened to being a frail little puppy who needed years to sleep off whatever shit he was going through?

I realized I was holding my breath because I let out a very large exhale. It was really him.

If I didn't know before I do now for certain because the entire time we traveled together, he always called me...well, called me by that nickname. I even remember asking him why and he just told me, "You're like a diamond in the rough, as the expression goes. You're rough on the exterior but so much more than that on the inside. Oh, and not to mention easy on the eyes. Also, you're very tiny for an elf. I've been meaning to ask but how old are you?"

I remember laughing at the whole thing, especially that last question. "A lady never reveals her true age, Fen'harel. You're gonna have to do better than that!"

If only he knew how old I really was. I chuckle to myself now, thinking about it.

There were so many questions reeling inside my head. Why would he call me that in front of everyone? Does he want me to know it's him? Did he simply forget? No that couldn't be it. The Dread Wolf never forgets.

...

I was exhausted and it was late. I had traveled so far to get here that all I wanted to do was sleep for three days, no thanks to the added emotinal mumbo jumbo. Dumb wolf.

I was walking down the hallway towards the throne, passing all of the Inquisition statues and what not when Cassandra stopped me. "Dahlia. The Inquisitor has asked me to escort you to your room...if you're ready?" What a sweetheart. Her accent made me smile, I loved it.

"Thanks Cass, I'd _love_ that." Cassandra raised an eyebrow at the nickname but said nothing as she led me to the door on our left, passing a staircase that went Andruil knows where, and walked through a door that lead to Josephine's office. The Antivan was sitting at her desk writing vigorously on a piece of paper.

"It's a small detour but I thought I'd show you this part of Skyhold since it's close to your room." Cassandra explained. Josephine looked up from her writing, "I see you two are getting along nicely." I looked at Cassandra who had a small scowl on her face and threw my arm around her, flashing Josephine my biggest smile yet. "We're the best of friends, my lovely Ambassador!" This made Josephine laugh as Cassandra moved out from under my arm, placing herself a good distance away from me. "I wouldn't say that exactly. I'm just showing her the War Room." Josephine shook her head. "Well, you two be good. Don't destroy anything." As we walked towards the next door, I threw my arm up, "No promises, m'lady!"

We entered a bare looking room with only a large table in the middle of it. "This is where all the important decisions are made by us and the Inquisitor. The War Room."

There were little figures scattered across the table that pinpointed everywhere they had been and needed to go. There was so much. I couldn't believe my sister did all of this, and with a smile plastered on her elfy little face no less. It made me admire her even more and also a little sad that she alone is bearing the mark and having to go out there everyday and bust her ass to make Thedas a better place. What a gal! I shook my head, "You must all be extremely busy all the time." Cassandra nodded and led me out of the room. "We are, but it will all soon be worth it once we put Corypheus in the ground." She sounded so vehement!

...

I waved goodbye to Josephine as we passed, all princess style-like. She got a kick out of it and actually laughed a little.

We walked through the door and down the staircase into a huge room with giant pillars and beautiful paintings everywhere. We passed a very small library and into another room that housed a giant Orlais style bed, a desk, a bookshelf that held random dusty old books in it, an armoire, and a small nightstand with a lamp. "Well, here we are. This will be your room."

"Thank you, Cass." She nodded and walked out the door, closing it behind her. I went to the armoire immedietly to grab a nightgown, which thank the elven gods they had! Granted it was rather long on my tiny body but I was ready to tear this armor off and get comfy. My head hit the pillow and I was out like my lamp that I accidentally kicked over in my haste to get under the blankets. I'll fix it in the morning...maybe.

...

Of coarse I found myself in a Fadey dream with a Solas standing right in front of me...that bastard.

"Why is it that you are interrupting the best sleep I've ever had?" My arms were crossed in front of my chest, showing him how not happy I was about this, but it only made him chuckle. "I do apologize. I simply wanted to talk with you in private since you ran away so quickly earlier this evening." He walked over to a gazebo off to the side of what I think was the gardens of Skyhold that I hadn't seen yet. He sat gracefully inside and I sighed, following him and sitting across from him on the wrap-around bench. Such a greeny place, really.

"Alright. I'll humor you, Pride. Don't expect much though."

"I wanted to ask you of your journies. According to Leliana you have been...everywhere. All over the world, not only Thedas but beyond it even. Why have you not settled in one place? I see you have the _vallaslin_ and you're very close to the Inquisitor so you must've enjoyed being with the Dalish." Ugh so many questions yet most were merely stating what he already knew. Stupid wolf.

"First of all, I don't _belong_ anywhere. Never have. Second, Leliana should really keep quiet about other people's matters." I couldn't help but get defensive. Like who did Leliana think she is?

"She looks into everyone, even myself. It's her job as Spymaster. Why did you get the _vallaslin_ if you are not devoted to your clan that gave it to you?"

"I chose to accept them while I was with Shira and the others. I wanted them to know I carry part of them with me always. I just felt smothered after awhile being part of something even as small as Lavellan was. I like to be on my own but yet I love the company. It's complicated really and why am I telling you any of this? Who are _you_ to ask _me_ anything?" Solas was smiling as I talked, shaking his head. "You fascinate me."

_What_?


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"If you don't mind me asking, how old are you?" Solas asked, his head inclined towards me slightly. No way was he getting it out of me this time, or anytime for that matter. I smiled and leaned forward, as if about to tell him my biggest secret. I even whispered it. "A lady never reveals her true age."

Soon after, I felt myself get pulled from the Fade by Shira who was trying to wake me up for breakfast.

"Finally! I thought you'd never wake up you must've been having a great dream." She shook her head, smiling, as I rubbed the sleep from my eyes and got up to get dressed. "Quite the contrary but it was nice to sleep in an actual bed." I told her as I threw on some slacks and a shirt, my boots going on last.

"Here, let me tame that mane of yours." Shira offered, a comb in hand and already trying to work out the knots from my long-ish brown hair. I usually kept it short but there wasn't a lot of time to really cut it when you're battling demons all the way here. Stupid Rifts. Stupid Corypheus.

We finished up and headed up the stairs and into the main hallway where they pushed many tables together to form long ones where everyone could sit and eat. I looked around the room to see almost everyone was already here in addition to a lot of people I hadn't even met yet.

Shira was left a seat at the head of the center table and I sat to the right of her next to a pale, blonde-haired boy that kept staring at me in a really weird way. "Hello." I said to him, trying to be polite as I was scooting my chair in.

"Small, sad, lonely, yet happy. Strange." _That_ is not how you start a conversation with someone you just met.

"Uh. Excuse me?" I looked at him with an eyebrow raised.

"Don't mind him he just likes to kind of read people's deepest parts of their minds." Varric, who was sitting across from me, explained.

"So cold, clammy. Snow everywhere. You knew you should'nt have been roaming around during the winter time. Why did you? Almost died." I looked from him to Varric, my eyes widening. "How?"

"Cole is a spirit, but a good one. He's kind and helps people by easing their minds of whatever they have felt guilty about or things that they have been through, just by talking to you. Sometimes he even helps those who can't go on any longer and ends their suffering." Solas chimed in, pulling the chair out and sitting beside Cole.

"Interesting." I looked at Cole who was still looking at me, waiting for an answer, I assumed. "Well uh. We make mistakes?" I didn't really know what to say. That was a long time ago, almost another lifetime. Those were the days I was traveling with the Dread Wolf and the only reason I survived that blizzard was because of him, though I was unconcious most of the time so I don't know how he did it, but I was grateful just the same. I wondered if he remembered...

Cole turned his head to Solas and smiled. "Thank you."

Solas looked at him, confused. "You're...very welcome, Cole. I'm not sure what I did..."

Cole nodded and started eating one of the sweet rolls that the kitchen help had just brought out along with mounds of different types of food. I was famished and decided if he wasn't going to say anything further on the matter, I would drop it as well because I didn't really want to talk about it any longer.

...

After everyone finished eating, I went and cleaned the oatmeal out of my hair because _someone_, not gonna name any names but _Sera,_ decided to throw a sweet roll at me.

It went downhill after that and with a promise to clean everything up afterwards, her and I went full on food fight. A few people got caught in the crossfire of coarse, such as Dorian and Cole, but everyone else steered pretty clear of the flying food. We had fun though and Sera told me she thought I was 'one bad bitch.' What a sweetheart. Shira appeared kind of mad though because she had worked so hard on my hair but I told her it would've gotten messed up anyways and that she needn't worry about it.

Josephine got up from her place at the table and tapped her pen against her board that she carries around everywhere. "If I may have everyone's attention please? We arranged for this breakfast with everyone so I could talk to you all at once and also because of the arrival of the Inquisitor's relative." She gestured towards me and I got up to take a bow, making Sera snort from laughter.

"As I was saying. We have a big day ahead of us tomorrow! We will be attending Empress Celene's grand ball as per request of our very own, Duke Gaspard. To all of you that are going, you will be fitted into your formal attire right after I finish here. I would like you all to be on your best behavior. This ball will determine a very large and significant outcome for our plans and I'd like it to go well, as you all should. Thank you for your time and enjoy your day." Josephine was so formal I just wanted to give her a big hug and tell her to take a break once in awhile...for everyone's sake. Silly Antivan, I loved em'.

...

"This really isn't going to work, Shira. You can see everything!" I was getting fitted in my room with Shira and her tailor next to us. She wanted to spend quality time with me while she could since she was going to be working all evening and all day tomorrow.

She laughed, causing her tailor to scowl and prick herself with a needle. Shira looked at her apologetically before turning back to me. "You're going to look beautiful. I'm sorry we couldn't get you the standard formal attire since they custom ordered everyone's a month ago but you'll be the prettiest one there. Far more then Empress Celene herself in my opinion."

"Oh don't butter me up. I look ridiculous and you know it." I crossed my arms and looked down at my red gown that Josephine had ordered for me last night, it's delivery hastened to be here in time. She's so efficient that Josephine! I guess I should be more grateful since she did all this for me but I just hated wearing things like this. It only came down to my shins for crying out loud! I felt naked! Not to mention it was strapless.

Shira shook her head and we finished up, finally putting our own comfortable clothing on. Shira hugged me and went to do her thang and I went out to explore the grounds, maybe see the gardens in person.

When I got down the steps from the main building, I saw almost the whole gang practicing magic or, for the ones who weren't mages, beating up on stuffed dummies with various types of weapons. I watched Iron Bull slice through one of the dummies with his giant battleaxe, a loud Qunari cry escaping from him. Near him was Dorian and Solas who were dualing and causing spells to fly every which way. Not too far off from them was Cole who was watching them but also seemed to be watching everyone else. As soon as he saw me, however, he disappeared. Did I hurt his feelings earlier or something?

"Calm, comfortable, happy, yet worried. You shouldn't think about it too much." I jumped so far I nearly fell on my arse.

"Don't _do_ that!" I yelled, turning around to find Cole behind me. "Sorry." Well, fair enough.

I avoided what Cole could've been talking about that he had pulled from my head and the both of us watched as Solas blasted Dorian's next move with a wall of ice, which was pretty impressive because Dorian moved so quickly, but not as quickly as Solas.

All of a sudden, a ball of fire was coming right at my face before I moved at the last minute, pushing Cole out of the way so he wouldn't get hit with the heat.

Dorian smirked my way, walking towards us with Solas in tow. "Really Dorian? You almost blew Cole up." This made Dorian chuckle, "He would've been alright. Probably would've just poofed and went to the top of the castle." Solas scowled at Dorian before looking back at me. "Would you care to join us?"

"Tempting...but I don't wanna slaughter you guys with my mad mage skills." I coughed, smiling. Dorian's eyebrow lifted. "Oh really? Let's see what you got m'lady."

"What do I get if I win?" I asked, grabbing my staff with a smirk. There's no way this child of Tevinter could take me down!

"Name it." He challenged, stepping farther away to put some distance. There was about to be a lot of magic flowing around. "I think I'll sit this one out. I can feel the intense energies coming in waves off the two of you. I'll simply watch." Solas smiled, sitting over by Cole who had perched himself on the bottom step of the castle. I chuckled and looked back to Dorian. "If I win, you have to parade around Skyhold. Nude."

This made Iron Bull rush over to see what was going on. "I heard Dorian and nude. What's going on?" We laughed and explained the situation. "And if I win, you have to go up to each individual person in Skyhold and tell them what a lovely and handsome man I am, and to have been beaten by me is the best thing that's ever happened to you in your life. Also, you too will be nude. To keep with the theme of coarse, m'lady."

I shook my head and sighed. What did I get myself into?


End file.
